Research

I am botanist, plant ecologist and conservationist with an interest in the flora of tropical Africa, in particular West Africa. I work to describe and explain the distribution patterns shown by plant species, particularly globally rare species and locally useful plant species. Hotspots of such species constitute conservation priorities.

I combine fieldwork and plant identification with biogeographic, ecological, phylogenetic and modelling methods in order to document hotspots of plant biodiversity, and to understand how hotspots evolved and are maintained. My work describing hotspot patterns allows more informed land management decisions to be taken, helping to reconcile biodiversity conservation with economic development activities.

I also enjoy botanising in the UK, teaching botany and local ecology, and undertaking local biodiversity conservation activities.

My research time is funded by King’s College, University of Cambridge through a Junior Research Fellowship. I am affiliated with the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, and the University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute.

Past project involvements include

Verifying the Biological Importance of the Sof Omar Key Biodiversity Area, Ethiopia. Led by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. 2017.

Rapid Botanic Survey of the south west Ghana hotspot. Dept. Plant Sciences University of Oxford, with the Forest Research Institute of Ghana & National Herbarium of Ghana. Supported by the Wilson Fund & OUEC. 2015.

ARBOPRO: Restoring the Wondo Genet College Arboretum. Wondo Genet College of Forestry, the University of Hamburg and the University of Oxford Harcourt Arboretum. Wondo Genet, Ethiopia. 2014.

Barcoding West African Timber Trees. With Université Libre de Bruxelles, Forest Research Institute of Ghana, National Herbarium of Ghana, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). 2013.

DfID Forestry Research Programme: Impact of harvesting on forest mortality and regeneration in Ghana. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford. 2012. Downloads

Rapid Botanic Survey of the Brazilian Cerrado. With the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford (Stephen Harris) & Universidade de Brasília, funded by British Petroleum (BP biofuels). 2012.

National Rapid Botanic Survey of Brunei Darussalam project development. With the Department of Plant Sciences (William Hawthorne), Ministry of Industry & Primary Resources, University of Brunei Darussalam; supported by the British High Commission to Brunei. 2011.